Dream game will be no pitch battle
Manchester United can expect a hot reception and a bumpy ride when they begin their Champions League campaign at Young Boys on Wednesday. Jose Mourinho’s men travel to Switzerland looking for a positive start to a competition in which they crashed out at the last-16 stage to Sevilla last season. United have made a slow start on the domestic front, but they remain a huge draw across Europe, as will be the case in Berne. With Cristiano Ronaldo’s Juventus and Valencia also in the group, Mourinho will not want any hiccups on the opening night. But Young Boys won’t lack motivation. They won the Swiss league last year for the first time since 1986 and are preparing for their first-ever Champions League campaign. And the secret weapon could well be their artificial 3G pitch, according to young midfielder Djibril Sow, as they have not lost on it since last November. “We’re big underdogs but we will try to give our best,” he says. “With our pitch at home, that is a plus for us. “When you are used to playing on it, there is a big advantage. Manchester United is a big team and they have great, technical players. “I hope our pitch will make a big difference. “I have been concentrating on the Swiss league, so I have not been following much of United’s progress this season. “I hear they are struggling a bit and it gives us more of a chance. But they have big names and they need to perform to show their class. “It would not be the same as winning the title, but it would be a historic game for us if we were to win. “We have never been in the Champions League before, so the atmosphere will be intense. “All the fans are looking forward to it. We are finally there against a team like United, so it will be fantastic. “You don’t try to qualify for the Champions League to play against the small teams. This is a boy’s dream.”